Food Poisoning : symptoms, diagnosis and management

Food Poisoning : symptoms, diagnosis and management

Food poisoning is illness that results due to the consumption of food or drink which is contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins or chemicals. Most people recover without the need for treatment. In most cases, the food that causes the illness has been contaminated by bacteria, such as salmonella or Escherichia coli, or a virus, such as the norovirus. The contamination of food can occur at any point beginning from growing, till processing and shipping of the product. Improper cooking of the food may also be the cause for contamination other cause can be when pathogens are transferred from one surface to another especially in case of ready-to-eat foods or raw foods. Since these foods aren’t cooked before consumption, pathogens are not destroyed and ingesting them may lead to food poisoning. This is called cross-contamination. Thus the contamination of food may occur at any stage in the process from food production to consumption.

Symptoms

The symptoms of food poisoning may begin at any point between few hours and several weeks after eating contaminated food. They include:

Feeling unwell

Vomiting

Diarrhoea

Stomach cramps

Other symptoms of food poisoning include:

Abdominal pain

Loss of appetite

A high temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above

Muscle pain

Chills

Causes

Food borne illness are usually infectious or toxic in nature and caused by bacteria ,viruses, parasites or chemical substances entering the body through contaminated food or water arise from improper handling, preparation or storage of food.

Cross-contamination: Cross-contamination is a cause of food poisoning that is often over looked. It occurs when harmful bacteria are spread between food, surfaces and equipment.

Mushrooms and toadstools: Dozens of species can cause muscarine poisoning. These poisons attack the central nervous system, causing partial or complete paralysis in severe cases.

Fish: Some fish, like the puffer fish, are naturally poisonous. A poison similar to that naturally found in the puffer fish can also occur in many edible Caribbean and Pacific species. It’s called ciguatera poison, and it’s produced by a tiny sea parasite called dinoflagellate. This poison attacks the nervous system.

Insecticides: There are many types of poisons found in insecticides but the most dangerous types are the organophosphates, which are basically nerve gas for insects. Such insecticides are deliberately formulated to be less harmful to humans than insects, but these chemicals can be very dangerous to people if the insecticides are not used properly.

There are many other causes of food poisoning. These include wild nuts, leaves, flowers and berries, under ripe tubers, botulism, cadmium from containers, lead or arsenic from fertilizers, and acids and lead from pottery.

Diagnosis

Generally detailed history including signs, symptoms and details of food intake are used to diagnose for the food poisoning.Symptoms may include pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and signs and symptoms of dehydration (body does not have as much water and fluids as it should)